Think Hive Mind

? I get a lot of my inspiration to write originates from the posts of others. Too many times, I am driven to add a response, solicited or not. Thinking my thoughts will elevate the conversation. I’d like to think that my experience amounts to something after all. Quite a few times, instead of posting something obnoxious, not that I haven’t, I try and step back and muster up the words to, in a way, offer a rebuttal without being direct. Further thought one might call it.?

To be honest, I loathe the ‘pay to play’ landscape of entry into filmmaking.? Not the schools, although I am dubious of a $200k education in filmmaking, when I know first hand a nursing degree can be had for under $30k, no they are not the same, a motivated nursing school grad could become an Oscar award winning filmmaker, a filmmaking grad is not qualified to be a nurse…ever.? I’ve digressed, but stick with me, what I see more than ever are a plethora of ‘get connected quick’ schemes, with very little substance in return, attended by a gaggle, flock and murder of aspiring filmmakers. These wet behind the ear, upstarts gather around many of these offerings like pigeons feasting on breadcrumbs at the park. (Which is an extension of a vision I had for years, that many freelancers are like baby birds in the nest waiting for a parent bird to bring them a morsel.) Even film festivals are wreaking of desperate ‘Johnny come lately’s’ hell bent on making a fortune in filmmaking and hanging out with #Chalemet, armed with a modicum of cash and one film or screenplay thinking #Spielberg himself will bestow upon them the key to #Netflix. These starry eyed fellows seem blind to a possible reality that they might just be competing for a place at the table with a handful of well connected beneficiaries and these dreamers are seemingly crowd funding the PR campaign. This is purely theory and conjecture, however the success rate within these ‘opportunities’ is desperately in question.?

(as a note and granted, I started a while back, I never paid for access, I earned it. I showed up early, left late, paid attention and stayed friendly.? My chosen path began in camera, I visited every single rental house in LA, made friendly chatter with the folks there and offered my services just outside of applying for a job. I’d like to note it was guys like Dan Hammond in his early days at Panavision (Van Nuys anyone), who returned the good will again and again. At one point, asking if I would build and prep Panavision 65mm camera, which hadn’t been used in a while.? I arrived quickly, all smiles and happy to oblige. We remain friends to this day.)

? ? It seems to me that these types of relationships are hard to forge anymore, in filmmaking at least. Seems so many interactions are smash and grabs, what can you do for me fleeting moments.? When I look back on those early days of my career, I had nothing to offer in return, I was young and learning, that was it! What I see today is no matter your experience the hand is out seeking payment before the handshake. Often introductions go dead cold, for whatever reason, speculation a plenty.? And what is more curious, even if you have a lot to offer, the ‘cheddah’ or access to the ‘room’ grappling hand is always the lead in.? This wouldn’t be so troubling, if it was just a means of filtering the ‘wanna be’s’, sadly it seems and ‘seem’ being the operative word, that the endless stream of aspirant filmmakers regardless of age has created a cottage industry of .1% ROI. ?

BUT, I’m not here to gripe.

It occurs to me, more recently and moving into the future more than ever before, we don’t need access to the people ‘in the room’, those who aren’t interested in ‘taking risks’. Filmmakers don’t need access to equipment, geeze a smart filmmaker can use anything from an iPhone, a common DSLR to smart connecting with crew and equipment supplies, if they are ambitious and COLLABORATIVE!?

What filmmakers need more than anything is… drum roll please…

ACTORS!!

?? ? Don’t believe me? Do the math and your own research. Show me a film that doesn’t have actors. Now show me a director whose career didn’t start with actors. Not only actors, but oh shit here's that word again…Collaborative… actors. This simple element has long been missing in the forums, film festivals and online offerings.? Perhaps because it’s something you cannot really charge for. I think that might be illegal.? And yet, with all the ambitious actors out there and all these ambitious filmmakers out there, I wonder where is the Rave connecting them? Personally I have yet to see a collaborative (there is that word again) effort to connect these two groups on a ‘global' or even 'local’ scale and educate them about working together for a purpose.

It is imperative that you bring more than your own personal ambitions to the table, you must offer your services and expertise to others.

Insert anecdote: When I was chairman of the Emerging Cinematographers Awards, I had proposed getting SAG involved several times: Within our group, I was met with blank stares, from SAG, I was met with…no response, WTF, right?, btw same for DGA, WGA and PGA) ?

Hello?! Where are we without one another?? In the name of keeping this a quick read I will leave on that note, perhaps some conversations will surface.?

Think Hive Mind.

Stay tuned for a potential Part Deux.